PTNW High School
by st.jimmy.987
Summary: Roxas is the new kid in school, and is instantly joined in a group of crazy people. Seriously---a pyromaniac, for starters. A bookworm, a water sitarist, and a destructive blonde that's aka as Savage Nymph. Roxas should've stayed at Destiny High.
1. Chapter 1

Roxas walked into the school nervously. It wasn't his fault---the place was creepy. It was all white, as if that were the only color in the world. Seriously---the buildings were white, the cafeteria and tables in said cafeteria were white, the desks in the classrooms were white. It was insane! But Roxas sucked it up and continued walking, trying to get through the crowd of students. He looked up---Administration Office, the sign said and he thought 'Finally!'---and looked for his guide. A few seconds later, a blonde girl walked out, her hair sticking up like antennas. Or rather, she was thrown out, headfirst.

"---AND YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT IT, SO JUST DEAL WITH IT!!!!" Was heard from the office as the door slammed shut. She pulled herself up with a huff and turned, almost running into Roxas. He looked at her, eyes wide, as she scowled down at him.

"What the _hell_ are you staring at, kid?" She snapped. He jumped and turned red.

"N-Nothing." He stammered out. She rolled her eyes, then took a closer look at him.

"You Cloud's brother?" She asked, popping a piece of bubblegum in his face. He blinked, but nodded hesitantly. She smirked triumphantly. "Thought so. Where's the other one?"

"Other...one...?" Roxas repeated slowly. She rolled her eyes.

"Yea, the other one. What's-his-face, um---"

"Sora?" He supplied. She nodded, crossing her arms and tilting her weight to her left, staring at him. He sighed lightly. "Sora's still going to Destiny High."

"And you got stuck with crappy PTNW High." She cackled. Roxas frowned. She looked at him, amused. "Did they tell ya what the school's for?" He shook his head. "It's a last-attempt to get us to socialize before they realize that we're too damn smart to have true 'feelings'." She put air quotes around the word 'feelings' and laughed again. Roxas frowned lightly.

"How do you know Cloud?" He asked quietly. She smirked.

"Y'know Reno, Cloud's friend?" Roxas nodded. "Number VIII, Axel, is his younger brother. You a freshman, kid?" Roxas nodded again. She looked him over one more time before shrugging. "You'll do. Come on." After a moment's hesitation, Roxas followed her.

"Um, what's your name?" He asked hesitantly, following behind the blonde as she shoved people out of their way.

"Arlene." A voice came from their left and Roxas whirled around, the blonde in front of him doing the same.

"Don't call me that." She hissed angrily. The red-head that stopped them laughed and jumped down from where he was perched on the window sill.

"Kidding, kidding, geez." He said, laughing at the look on her face. He returned his attention to Roxas. "Arlene is what her parents named her." Roxas nodded slowly, still staring up at the red-head---he completely towered over him.

"Hey---" She started but he waved her off.

"I know, I know. Orders from Superior, though, Lar." She rolled her eyes and marched away. He grinned after her. "Don't call her Arlene---even though you're new, she'll still kill ya."

"What am I supposed to call her, then?" Roxas asked, looking after her curiously.

"Larxene." The red-head looked down at Roxas. "I'm Axel, by the way. Got it memorized?"

"I always thought Reno's brother's name was Lea." Roxas mumbled. Axel laughed.

"That is my name, but here, I'm called Axel." Roxas shrugged.

"Axel it is." Roxas muttered.

* * *

By lunchtime, Roxas was ready to go home. He wanted to go home, he wanted to go back to Destiny High, he wanted out of this weird school. Of course, certain things didn't care what Roxas wanted. For instance, Axel.

His guide was a pyromaniac, which Roxas discovered quickly when he found the red-head waiting for him. He had been entertaining himself with lighting pieces of paper from his pocket on fire. Roxas had promptly marched up to him, reached up, grabbed his lighter, and threw it away. Axel stared at him in shock before throwing his head back and laughing.

"We'll get along great, dontcha think?" He laughed. Roxas scowled.

"Just take me to the damn lunch room."

* * *

"Hello, I am back!" Axel announced as he pulled Roxas to sit over by Larxene. Dumping him by the blonde girl, Roxas watched as he continued onward and plopped next to a dirty blonde a few seats down.

"Seeing as Number VIII is here, I see no reason why we can't start now." Said a boy from a few seats up from Axel. Roxas pulled his vision up to him. The boy had slate hair, which covered one of his eyes. The other one turned and looked up at Roxas, narrowing slightly. "A new member?"

"Of course, Zexion." At the head of the table, Roxas vaguely recognized one of the people that were always at Reno's house when he went to pick up Cloud. "I am Xenmas." He said.

"Xigbar." Said the person directly next to him. Roxas looked at them as they each said their name.

"Xaldin."

"Vexen."

"Lexeaus."

"Zexion." The boy with the slate hair looked over Roxas, then shrugged approvingly.

"Saix."

"Axel." The pyromaniac smirked and Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Demyx." The blonde next to him said, grinning happily at Roxas.

"Luxord." Roxas frowned at him---he wasn't even looking! He was staring at some cards in his hand.

"Marluxia." This one made Roxas jump a bit---with his pink hair, and the obvious flower that he had in his shirt, Roxas had thought he was a girl...apparently, not.

"Larxene." The blonde ggirl didn't even look at Roxas as she picked her food. Roxas looked over them at Xenmas and smiled nervously.

"Roxas?" He said slowly. He felt like it was circle time in kindergarden or something---get to know the new kid, and play nice.

"Now that we're all introduced, shall we carry on with the meeting?" Zexion asked from near the top of the table. Roxas blinked at him.

"In due time, Number VI, in due time."Xemnas smiled slightly at Roxas. "Now, each member has a nickname, something they're particularly good at." Roxas blinked, and Xenmas waved his hand at each person as he spouted off their nicknames (not that their names were already nicknames). "Xigbar is Freeshooter, Xaldin is Whirlwind Lancer, Vexen is Chilly Academic, Lexeaus is Silent Hero, Zexion is Cloaked Schemer, Saix is Luna Diviner, Axel is Flurry of Dancing Flames, Demyx is Melodious Nocturn (that was when Roxas noticed the guitar by the dirty blonde), Luxord is Gambler of Fate (which would explain the cards, Roxas thought), Marluxia is Graceful Assassin, Larxene is Savage Nymph."

"What about you?" Roxas asked quietly. Xenmas looked at him, amused.

"I am your Superior." Zexion opened his mouth and Xenmas looked at him, amused. "Yes, Zexion, now we can start our meeting."

Roxas tuned them all out as they discussed who-knows-what.


	2. Chapter 2

Roxas mentally prepared himself for another day at PTNW High as he crossed the street. As he walked up to the school, he felt a huge weight on him.

"What the hell?" He pushed the weight off and turned to find a dirty blonde, who grinned at him.

"Hey, hi! I thought I saw you, back there---" He pointed behind the school. "But I wasn't sure if it was really you or not." As he rambled on, Roxas stared at him, trying to remember his name.

"Ah!" He interrupted. The boy stopped. "Demyx?" He grinned.

"YAY! Roxas remembered my name!" Roxas blinked as Demyx threw himself on him again, only this time he got himself in the head with the neck of the guitar on his back. "OW!"

"Why do you carry a guitar with---"

"She's not a guitar!" Demyx said with slight horror in his voice. "How can you even _say_ that? She's a sitar." Roxas raised an eyebrow.

"O...k?" Demyx grinned.

"Besides, I'm the Melodious Nocturne, am I not? I have that name because I carry my sitar all over the place. She's always with me." As they walked, another slate-haired boy came into view. "ZEXION!!!!!" Demyx yelled, throwing himself on the reader. Zexion sighed.

"Hello, IX. Get off of me." Demyx complied, pouting slightly.

"Zexion is mean!" He whined lightly. Zexion snorted and looked up at Roxas briefly.

"Good morning, XIII."

"XIII?" Roxas said, confused. Demyx and Zexion ignored him, Zexion in favor of attempting to throw the sitarist off of him and Demyx clinging as hard as he could.

"Yes, you are the thirteenth member of our Organization XIII." Came a voice from behind. Roxas whirled around to find Axel standing behind him, throwing an apple in the air a few times before eating it. Roxas blinked.

"Why?" Axel shrugged.

"Superior's orders." He said, continuing to eat the red fruit. Roxas nodded slowly and started walking with Axel (Zexion and Demyx had left when Axel showed up, Zexion struggling to get to the library and Demyx refusing to let the Schemer go).

"Does everyone have a different name? Besides you and Larxene, I mean?" Axel smiled.

"Yea, no one in our group uses their real names. Xenmas' real name is Ansem, Xigbar's is Braig, Xaldin's is Dilan, Vexen's is Even, Lexeaus is actually Aeleus, Zexion's name is Ienzo." Axel frowned as he listed off the names, trying to remember each one. "Think Saix's is just Sai, of course, mine is Lea, Demyx's is Myde, Luxord is Ludor, I think, Marluxia's is Lumaria, and Larxene's name is Arlene, like I said yesterday." Roxas blinked.

"Wow. Guess I'll be the only one using my real name." Axel grinned and rubbed his hair.

"Got that right, kiddo. We could call ya Sora."

"That's my brother's name." Roxas muttered. Axel laughed.

"Kidding, Roxy!" Roxas turned to Axel with wide eyes.

"Roxy?" Axel ruffled his hair and grinned.

"Let's catch up to Zexy and Dem, or else Zexion will kill Demyx." A loud CRASH! made Roxas jump and look in the direction of where Zexion disappeared with Demyx. "Whoops! Better get going, looks like the show's already started!" Axel ran down the hall, Roxas following. They rounded the corner...

... And Roxas almost tripped over Demyx, who was sprawled on the floor.

"Demyx?" The sitarist looked up at Roxas and grinned.

"That was fun!" He yelled, jumping up and startling Roxas. "Do it again, Zexy!"

"I told you to stop calling me that, IX." Zexion stated blankly from next to Axel. "It's Zexion or VI."

"C'mon, Zexy, don't be like that to Dem!" Axel protested jokingly, slinging his arm around the slate-haired kid's neck (which looked awkward---Zexion was only two inches taller than Roxas, and Axel still towered over him). Zexion stared blankly at him.

"You too, VIII. It's your fault he keeps calling us by ridiculous shortenings of our names." Axel shrugged and stood up.

"Well, Roxy, we better get you to class, else you be late. Goodbye, fellow Organization members. By the way," Axel's voice dropped as he glanced around. "When Lar asks for me, I haven't come to school yet, and might be sick. Got it?" Zexion sighed as Demyx nodded happily.

"What did you do this time, Axel?" Axel grinned wolfishly.

"Just the usual stuff of Arlene---"

"Axel..." Axel paled and grabbed Roxas' arm, dragging the poor boy down the hall.

"Sorry, Lar, gotta run, he's gotta be at class early, right Roxy?" Before Roxas could even answer, Axel tightened his grip and went faster. Larxene sighed from her spot by Zexion.

"Damn pyromaniac." She muttered.

* * *

As soon as Axel left, Roxas gave a small sigh of relief. He honestly didn't know what he had done to Larxene, and he had a feeling that he didn't want to know. Sighing, he sat down in his seat next to a girl drawing in a sketchbook. She glanced at him, then turned to him fully.

"Hey, you one of Cloud's brothers?" '_Not again..._' Roxas groaned as he turned to the girl.

"Yea..." She grinned happily.

"I thought so. You're Roxas, right?" Roxas nodded slowly and she stuck her hand out. "My name's Namine. Kairi is my older sister---she's friends with Sora?" Roxas nodded slowly and shook her hand. "So, what are you doing here in PTNW High?" Roxas shrugged.

"Last-ditch attempt to learn to socialize?" He muttered, taking out a pencil. Namine giggled.

"Larxene tell you that?" She asked. He glanced at her and nodded. Namine shrugged. "This is an advanced placement school." Roxas looked at her with wide eyes. Advance placement? "A school for smart people." She said, giggling. "Or talented people. My talent is drawing." Roxas raised an eye brow, but didn't say anything as the teacher walked in. At the end of class, Namine handed Roxas the paper that she had been drawing on before she started talking to Roxas. He looked down and raised an eyebrow at the image.

"Axel?" He questioned, looking at an amazing likeness of the pyromaniac on paper. She blushed lightly and nodded, holding her books to her chest tightly. He looked back at the paper, tracing the tattoos under the drawing's eyes lightly before looking at the girl. "You like him?" She blushed harder.

"Yea..." Roxas smiled, handing her the drawing.

"You should mention it sometime to him." He said. She shook her head.

"You keep it." She said, pushing the drawing back into his hands. "And no, I won't tell him. You're actually the only one who knows besides Kairi." Roxas rolled his eyes and was about to answer when a hand landed over his eyes.

"Guess who, Roxy?"

"What the hell!" Roxas yelled, throwing Axel's arms off of him. Turning around to glare at the red-head, Roxas vaguely noticed that Namine had disappeared. "Axel, I was talking to someone?"

"Namine understands." Axel shrugged, turning around. "Come on, Superior called another meeting. It's what, September?" Roxas nodded, following Axel. Axel grinned. "September... September..."

"It's September 3rd, Axel." Axel rubbed Roxas' hair.

"Right." He said. "Six days til the ninth!" He more or less sang out, pulling Roxas' hand and dragging the boy down the hall again.

"What's on the ninth?" Roxas asked, barely managing to keep up with the rushing pyro. Said pyro grinned.

"Ninth, ninth, nine-nine, September 9th." Axel grinned and practically threw Roxas down by Larxene (when the hell had they gotten into the cafeteria?) and sat in his seat, between Saix and...

No Demyx. Roxas frowned.

"Meeting will start now." Xenmas sat by Xigbar at the top of the table and looked around the table.

"Where's Demyx?" Roxas whispered to Larxene. She scowled and put her finger over her mouth. Marluxia leaned over her.

"Demyx has been excused from the meetings from here on out." He whispered. Larxene hit Marluxia on the head, creating a loud THUNK! when the pink-haired boy's head went down and crash-landed on the table. The meeting came to an abrupt halt as they all looked down the table at the last three.

"They wouldn't shut up." Larxene said simply.

* * *

i feel i should mention this. XD forgot to last time. i don't actually know what Saix, Marluxia, Luxord, and Larxene's Somebody names are. so i typed up their Organization names on my document and anagramed them until i came up with a semi-suitable name. yep.


	3. Chapter 3

Saturday, September 4th:

"_You're being an idiot, Zexion._"

"_Come on, let's just get outta here already._"

"_Don't worry, sometimes people like him aren't worth it._"

"_I thought he would be..._"

"_We'll get him later, ok?_"

* * *

Roxas sat up with a gasp. Looking around, he blearily noticed his alarm clock blaring. 8:13. Realizing it was Saturday, Roxas fell back in bed and sighed. He turned his head to the window by his bed and frowned, thinking over his dream. The strange words... and the familiar voices. He sighed again.

"ROXAS, WAKE UP!!!" CRASH! "OUCH!!" Rolling his eyes, Roxas got out of bed and walked slowly downstairs. He raised an eye brow when he realized his brother was on the floor by the stairs. He raised an eye brow and Sora grinned up at him.

"Where's---"

"Cloud's spending the weekend at Reno's." Sora said brightly. "Riku and Kairi're coming over later, ok?" Roxas shrugged.

"I'm gonna go out at around 12, so I won't be able to see your boyfriend and Kairi." Sora blushed.

"Rox-AS! Riku isn't my boyfriend!" Roxas smirked, walking around his brother.

"If you say so, Sora."

* * *

Roxas waved goodbye at Sora and turned, walking down the driveway of their house, hands firmly in his pockets. He walked around, avoiding people, until he ran into someone.

"Watch it, you as---Roxas?" He looked up and saw Larxene, Marluxia behind her.

"Oh, hey, guys." He said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. Marluxia grinned.

"You here for Demyx too?" Roxas blinked.

"Demyx?" Larxene laughed.

"You weren't paying attention, were you, at the meeting yesterday?" Roxas blushed lightly.

"So what?" Marluxia answered.

"Demyx's birthday is on the ninth." Roxas blinked.

"Oh." That's why Axel was going on about the ninth. Shrugging, he smirked. "I don't know Demyx that well. Maybe you guys can help me buy him a present?" Marluxia grinned.

"Sure thing, Roxas!"

* * *

Monday, September 6th

"_You're being an idiot, Zexion._"

"_Come on, let's just get outta here already._"

"_Don't worry, sometimes people like him aren't worth it._"

"_I thought he would be..._"

"_We'll get him later, ok?_"

Roxas sat up again, holding his head as he groaned. What the hell was happening to him? Glancing over at his alarm clock and realizing it was 6:09 am, and that he had school in an hour and forty-five minutes, Roxas groaned again and rolled out of bed, starting to get ready for school.

He walked up to the school slowly, looking around him in case Demyx decided to jump him again. Sighing in relief when he was not jumped by a hyper sitarist, Roxas ran face-first into someone.

"Oh, sor---" He looked up and scowled. "Axel." The pyromaniac grinned.

"Hey, Roxy. Saw your brother all weekend, y'know?" Roxas scowled and moved to push aside Axel. Axel followed him easily. "So, Lar told me you were with her and Marly when they went to buy Dem's present."

"You have a shorter version of everyone's name?" Roxas asked irritably. Behind him, Axel shrugged.

"Think so." Roxas snorted.

"Wow, you're an idiot, Axel." Axel grinned.

"Yea, but I'm your idiot." Roxas froze.

"What?" He said slowly, turning around to face Axel. Axel shrugged again.

"I said, I'm your idiot." Roxas blinked, then took a few deep breaths.

"Says who?" Axel grinned and leaned forward, making Roxas step backward. "Shit." He muttered when he realized he backed into a corner. Axel grinned and placed his hands on either side of Roxas' head.

"I say." He whispered. Roxas gulped when Axel's face got closer, his breath on Roxas' face, when---

BRRRRRRRRRING!!

"Saved by the bell." Axel muttered, pulling Roxas away from the wall and practically dragging Roxas to his class room. He disappeared as soon as Roxas went in and Roxas heaved a sigh of relief, his face as red as a tomato (as Namine pointed out a few seconds later).

"Roxas, your face is about as red as a tomato!" Namine exclaimed (see?). Roxas shrugged half-heartedly and mumble something incomprehensible. Namine grinned. "Was it Axel?" Roxas choked.

"How...?" She giggled.

"Practically everyone at school knows that Axel's gay, Roxas. Geez." Roxas looked at her strangely.

"Is that why you won't say anything about your crush on him?" Namine nodded.

"Yep!" Roxas sighed. Namine frowned. "Something on your mind, Roxas?" He looked at her with raised eyebrows. She smiled. "I'm kinda good at telling when something is bothering somebody."

"It's this... weird dream I keep having." Roxas sighed. "It's probably nothing, though." Namine put her elbows on her desk, looking at Roxas with interest.

"No, dreams usually predict things sometimes." She said. "Tell me about it." Roxas shrugged and relayed the words from his dream to her.

"But I don't know what's going on, or who's saying what." He explained. "Those are the only words I hear, and then I wake up." Namine frowned.

"Hmm... this is a problem." She muttered.

When class was over, Axel was standing by his classroom door. Namine smiled.

"Hey, Axel." She said, Roxas behind her. Roxas looked up at Axel with wide eyes and a red face. Axel noticed this and smirked.

"Hey, Nam. Roxy." Namine grinned.

"You have a nickname for Roxas already?" Axel shrugged.

"Yea, so?" She giggled.

"Nothing, Axel, it's cute." Roxas stared at Namine. For having an unrequited crush on someone who's gay, Namine was talking very well with Axel. She smiled at him encouragingly.

"Hey, Axel." He muttered. Axel smirked again.

"Roxy, Superior's calling an emergency meeting." Roxas frowned.

"For what?" Axel shrugged.

"Didn't say. Just told me to pick up you and get to the cafeteria. Immediately." Roxas sighed.

"See ya, Namine." He said. She smiled.

"Bye, Nam!" Axel called, grabbing Roxas' arm and dragging him down the hall again.

"Bye, Roxas, Axel!" She yelled after them, waving. She frowned when they disappeared. "Roxas, your dream isn't going to have anything good come from it." She whispered, one hand reaching towards her head where she always kept a pencil and the other reaching for her notepad. "In fact, we should pray that it won't happen, ever." Namine sat down by the wall, her legs criss-crossed (applesauce! XD), drawing the scene she imagined from Roxas' description of his dream, starting with the design of the cafeteria Roxas and Axel were currently heading to.


	4. Chapter 4

"What shall we do for IX's party?" Luxord asked lazily, not even looking up from his cards.

"Why don't we do something different other than gathering at his house and getting trashed?" Xaldin asked, looking up and down the table.

"Xaldin, we've never gotten trashed at anyone's house." Marluxia chided, tilting his chair back as Roxas glanced over at the empty space where Demyx was supposed to be by Axel. Axel had his head in his hands, playing with a lighter.

"Why don't we give our Melodious Nocturne something to remember?" He drawled out lazily, flicking the lighter on and off. Roxas resisted the urge to go up to him and tear the lighter out of his hands to throw it away.

"What do you mean, VIII?" Zexion asked from his book, placing a guitar pick between the pages.

"Well, what does Dem want most?" Axel asked. Evidently, it was a rhetorical question, because Axel answered himself. "He wants to be with all of us, and he wants to hear Zexion sing."

"Zexion can sing?" Larxene said incredulously, staring at the Cloaked Schemer. Said Cloaked Schemer flushed.

"Correction." He mumbled. "IX is under the impression I can sing. Unfortunately, I cannot and I will not sing." Axel rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Zexy, please? For Dem?" Zexion shook his head and opened his book. The guitar pick fell out, but nobody noticed it. Nobody but Roxas.

"Who gave you the book mark, Zexion?" He asked slowly, standing up from his place by Larxene and walking over to Zexion, picking up the guitar pick. "Isn't this for playing the guitar? You don't play, do you?" Zexion flushed lightly, snatching the pick from Roxas.

"It is not for playing the guitar." He hissed slightly. "Hasn't he told you that she's a sitar yet?" Roxas smiled---he got his answer.

"When did he give it to you?" Zexion blinked.

"What? I fail to see the importance of the timing." Roxas raised an eye brow. Zexion sighed inaudibly. "For my birthday." He mumbled. Roxas smiled.

"Then, as payback for such a thoughtful gift (since it seems you use it a lot), maybe you should sing for him." Zexion turned back to his book.

"...." Roxas sighed lightly and went back to his seat. He caught eyes with Axel and shrugged as if to say, _well, I tried_. Axel smirked, and Roxas got the feeling that meant someone was going to say something big. "... Fine." Zexion muttered. "I'll sing at IX's party."

"All right!" Axel yelled, raising a hand in victory.

* * *

Days passed, and Roxas no longer noticed that Demyx was no longer attending meetings. Especially when Xenmas stood up one day.

"Everyone, as you know, Number IX, Demyx, will be turning fourteen tomorrow." Several of the members (namely, Roxas, Marluxia, and Axel) smiled. Larxene smirked. Everyone else looked bored. With the exception of Zexion---who was trying to hide his face in his book.

"Whoo, Dem!" Axel yelled, ignoring the fact that the dirty-blonde wasn't at the meeting and therefore could not hear Axel's victory cry. Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Axel, sit your ass down and shut up so that the Superior can finish." Larxene snapped. Axel listened instantly (Larxene was scary when you pissed her off---Axel had a lot of experience with that). She smiled sweetly (which just made Roxas shudder and look away) up at Xenmas. "Continue, Superior."

"Well, the party will start at 9:00, as usual, and it'll be at Demyx's house. VI," Zexion looked up from his book and faced the Superior politely. "You will sing as soon as Demyx is properly calmed down from his surprise." Zexion nodded stiffly and returned to his book. "Axel, you will bring the presents."

"Yes, sir!" Axel called out, saluting. Roxas rolled his eyes and Axel, who noticed, winked at him.

"Marluxia, drinks." The pink-haired boy shrugged.

"Of course." He said smoothly.

"Larxene, chips, dip, whatever snacks."

"Not Larxene!" Axel wailed. "She'll poison it!"

"Better watch it, Axel, or I will poison it." Larxene threatened the pyromaniac. Said pyro gulped and sat down quickly. "Got it, Superior."

* * *

Demyx looked around skeptically.

"Axel, are you sure you know the way to my house? It doesn't feel like you're going the right way..."

"Of _course_ I'm going the right way, Demyx! How many times have I been to your house?" Demyx gulped, and shut his eyes tight underneath the blindfold.

"Um, once?" Demyx tried. "Twice, maybe?"

"Three times, actually." Axel corrected. "I know my way by now. So, Roxy, where the hell are we?" Demyx whimpered and Axel ignored him. Roxas gave the dirty blonde sitarist a comforting glance (not that said dirty blonde sitarist could see it) and tilted his head at the map.

"Uhh... well, while you two were arguing, it seems that we should have made a right... somewhere back over in that direction..." Demyx whimpered again.

"I knew I should've asked for Zexion..." The blonde muttered. Axel whacked the back of his head. "OW!"

"Zexion's too busy to bring you home, stupid Number IX. That's why he asked us." Roxas rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the map.

"Actually..." Both Axel and Demyx's heads swiveled towards the blonde (but only Axel could actually see him) to give him their full attention (since he was the one with the map). "We should have turned right, and then left when we left school, not go straight and then left." Roxas said. "We have been going in the wrong direction since we left."

Demyx whimpered again.

* * *

"Where in the world are they?" Zexion hissed from the stage.

"It's only 8:13, Number VI, calm down." Xenmas said calmly from the other side of the room.

"I know that, but I don't want to stand here any longer!" A cell phone went off and Marluxia's voice could be heard from his spot (somewhere next to the stage).

"Hello, Number XII Marluxia." He paused. "Mm-hmm. Wait, what? Really? Stupid...yea, yea... Try to see if you can go back to school, idiots. Yes, I'll come get you. Yea. Ok. Bye." He hung up.

"Well?" Larxene yelled from her spot. Marluxia sniggered.

"It appears that Roxas, despite having the map, let Axel lead the way."

"Oh, shit..." Larxene started laughing.

"Who wants to bet that they're lost?" Luxord asked easily.

"Obviously they're lost, Luxord!" Marluxia exclaimed. "_Axel_ lead the way. Roxas said that they've been lost since they left school." He laughed. "I'm gonna get the idiots. Be right back."

* * *

Demyx sighed in relief when Roxas mentioned the school was in sight.

"I've never been so happy to be at school!" He exclaimed. It only took them about half an hour to get back to the school (they had to retrace their steps, and got lost twice more), and Demyx could feel someone waiting by the school's gate. "Zexion?"

"Sorry, bud. Zexion's still busy. You got me instead." Demyx grinned.

"Marly!" He could practically see Marluxia rolling his eyes, but didn't care---he launched himself on the flower-loving Number XII. "Thank God! We were so lost!"

"Yea, yea. Well, now I'm here. Let's get you home." Demyx sighed happily. "Now, which way do we go again?" Demyx could imagine the look of shock on his face. Marluxia laughed.


	5. Chapter 5

Zexion stared impatiently at the door from the stage.

"Where are they at, dammit?"

"They're coming, Zexion." Larxene snapped angrily. Zexion shut up.

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Demyx asked for the fourth time.

"Yes, thankfully." Axel said with relief in his voice. "Demyx, you're home!"

"Finally!" Demyx ran up the pathway, forgot about the steps leading up to his door and (since he is wearing a blindfold) promptly tripped over said steps. "OW!" Axel sniggered.

"You ok there, Number IX?" Demyx scowled.

"Fine, fine." Marluxia, rolling his eyes, grabbed Demyx's arm and pulled the Melodious Nocturne up.

"Let's get you inside, yea?" He pulled the blindfold off as he lead Demyx through the door, and everyone shouted their greetings to Demyx, who grinned after a few seconds of shock. Marluxia grabbed the blue sitar off of Demyx's back and as he spun around, tossed it at him. "Play that one song you wrote, yea?" Demyx grinned, placing the instrument over his neck as he looked around. He frowned suddenly.

"Zexion couldn't come?" He asked, his hands in position to play but not touching the sitar. Marluxia rolled his eyes.

"Just play the damn song, Demyx." Demyx sighed.

"All right, which one?"

"The one you wrote for your asshole of a father." Larxene yelled out. That earned a few snickers from everyone and Demyx grinned.

"Which one?" Roxas asked Axel. Axel grinned.

"Dem and his old man never really got along---he always thought that Dem should get his head out of the clouds and fingers off of the sitar and focus on education and shit like that." Axel chuckled. "It got to the point where Dem wrote a song, performed it at an important business meeting that his father arranged for him to join in (so he could see what the business was like) and then run here, to his cousin's house. They welcomed him with open arms."

"His cousin?" Roxas frowned. "Who's his cousin?" Axel laughed. Roxas didn't get his answer as Demyx, who had been laughing and talking while waiting for the right time (it had been 8:58 when they walked in), suddenly slammed his hands on the notes at promptly 9:00. Roxas blinked in surprise as he actually heard Demyx play the instrument for the first time (for him).

He was great, and Roxas couldn't help but get into the song. Demyx opened his mouth to start, but another voice cut him off and he whirled around, eyes wide and mouth hanging open (but still playing somehow).

"There you go, you're always so right  
It's all a big show, it's all about you.  
You think you know what everyone needs.  
You always take time to criticize me." Zexion grinned at the dumbstruck look on Demyx's face as he continued.

"It seems like everyday, I make mistakes,  
I just can't get it right.  
It's like I'm the one you love to hate,  
But not today." Zexion took a deep breath and Demyx grinned at him (Zexion was nervous, dammit!).

"So shut up, shut up, shut up---  
Don't wanna hear it.  
Get out, get out, get out---  
Get out of my way.  
Step up, step up, step up---  
You'll never stop me.  
Nothing you say today is gonna bring me down."

"There you go, you never ask why.  
It's all a big lie, whatever you do.  
You think you're special.  
But I know, and I know, and I know  
And we know that you're not." Demyx managed to get onstage with Zexion and was standing next to the slate-haired singer with a huge grin on his face.

"You're always there to point out my mistakes  
And shove them in my face.  
It's like I'm the one you love to hate,  
But not today." Demyx slammed his fingers down on his sitar and everyone started cheering for the two (the loudest was a competition between Axel and Marluxia...)

"So shut up, shut up, shut up---  
Don't wanna hear it.  
Get out, get out, get out---  
Get out of my way.  
Step up, step up, step up---  
You'll never stop me.  
Nothing you say today is gonna bring me down." Demyx leaned into the microphone with Zexion.

"Is gonna bring me down." They chorused. Demyx grinned, fighting back a slight flush.

"You'll never bring me down." Demyx slowed his strumming and Zexion took another deep breath.

"Don't tell me who I should be."

"Don't tell me who I should be." Demyx echoed Zexion.

"And don't try to tell me what's right---" Zexion started.

"For me." They finished together.

"Don't tell me what I should do." Zexion smirked suddenly (he wasn't so nervous now...) and Demyx started strumming a bit harder.

"I don't wanna waste my time  
And watch you fade away.  
So shut up, shut up, shut up---  
Don't wanna hear it.  
Get out, get out, get out---  
Get out of my way.  
Step up, step up, step up---  
You'll never stop me.  
Nothing you say today is gonna bring me down." Demyx leaned forward again and sang with Zexion.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up---  
Don't wanna hear it.  
Get out, get out, get out---  
Get out of my way.  
Step up, step up, step up---  
You'll never stop me.  
Nothing you say is gonna bring me down." They were close to the end of the song.

"Bring me down.  
You won't bring me down.  
Bring me down.  
You won't bring me---  
Shut up, shut up, shut up." They stopped together and the whole Organization cheered for them (by the way, Axel won the loudest cheer contest with Marluxia). Demyx grinned at Zexion and wrapped his arm not holding the sitar around Zexion's neck (and it didn't look as awkward to Roxas as it did with Axel---maybe it was because while Demyx was taller than Zexion, he didn't tower over him the way Axel did) and waved at the others.

"Now please allow me off of the stage." Zexion muttered. Demyx looked at him out of the corner of his eyes.

"Why?"

"I've been standing up here for an hour and a half, and I'm hungry." Demyx laughed and let Zexion get down. As the party started getting louder (Luxord had brought music and just popped the CDs in, blaring the stereo), only Roxas and Axel noticed how Demyx's eyes never left Zexion.


	6. Chapter 6

Roxas groaned as his phone went off---he had been dancing (yes, with Axel) and didn't want to move. So he ignored it. But when whomever was calling him wouldn't stop.... well, let's just say that he had seriously considered just dumping it in the punchbowl and leaving it at that. But a look at Axel's own phone made him realize that Cloud was calling him.

Of all the times to be calling him, it was while he was with Axel. Roxas rolled his eyes---go figure, huh? So with a sigh, he glanced at Axel before moving to the back of the room, where it was quieter and he didn't have to shout to be heard.

"Cloud?"

"Sora said that you were hanging with Lea and his friends." Roxas looked through the crowd of Organization XIII and spotted Axel talking to Larxene and Marluxia.

"Axel." He corrected.

"What?" He snorted at the confused tone in Cloud's voice.

"At school, he's called Axel. And yes, I am hanging out with them."

"You really shouldn't." Roxas felt his eyes narrow and he took them off of Axel, aiming his glare to the floor.

"What?"

"You really shouldn't hang with Lea... uh, Axel and his friends." Roxas suddenly noticed the slur in his brother's words.

"I don't need you looking out for me, dammit." He hissed back. "Especially when you're as drunk as you usually are." Another voice came on the line before Cloud could answer.

"Hello?" Roxas didn't recognize the deep voice at first---he was about to lose it on this guy when suddenly it clicked.

"Leon?"

"Yea?" Roxas smiled slightly.

"Hey, Leon. Whaddya doing at Reno's?" Leon snorted and Roxas heard him mutter something to Cloud before answering.

"I came to get Cloud's ass, as usual." Roxas sighed.

"Anything else." Leon's voice caught slightly as he answered.

"You know the answer to that, Roxas." Leon said softly. "I better get your brother home."

"Call me if you need anything."

"Will do, Roxas. Later."

"Bye." Roxas hung up just as Axel came over.

"You done?" He asked, leaning on the wall over Roxas' head, making the shorter blonde look up at him.

"Yea." Roxas replied, tilting his head to the side. Axel looked around quickly before leaning down. "What's up?"

"Remember how I mentioned I was your idiot?" Axel said quietly. Roxas' eyes went wide and he nodded slowly. "I meant it." Axel didn't give Roxas the opportunity to reply as he bent down even more and pressed his lips to Roxas' gently.

Across the room, Demyx let a small smile worm its way across his face.

* * *

Roxas was quiet as Axel, Demyx, and Zexion talked happily to his left. Well, Axel and Demyx talked happily while Zexion gave one-worded, clipped answers. Suddenly, Axel slung his arm around Roxas' neck.

"Why so silent, Roxy?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. Roxas flushed lightly.

"Nothing to add to the conversation, idiot." He said.

"Zexy's adding to the conversation." Axel pointed out. "He doesn't talk much more than you do."

"Shut up." Roxas muttered.

"VIII, do stop being a nuisance." Zexion muttered from his spot next to Demyx. Demyx laughed and Axel pouted slightly. Roxas groaned and pushed Axel off of him. To his surprise, Axel was compliant and moved to stand next to Demyx. Roxas blinked at him for a few seconds.

"Axel, to class!" Demyx cried, pulling the red-head after him. "Bye, Roxas, Zexy!"

"Zexion!" The Cloaked Schemer called out, but Demyx just laughed and waved, still pulling the red-headed pyro down the hall. Zexion sighed. "XIII."

"Zexion?" Roxas asked, looking over at him. Zexion pushed his hair out of his left eye and looked at Roxas.

"I saw what happened. With VIII at the party." Roxas felt his face go red. Zexion sure got to the point. "What VIII did was wrong. There is no question about it." Roxas frowned.

"Why?" Zexion sighed again and rolled his eyes.

"Because we are Organization XIII. If any one would date, it would be with Superior's orders, and it most certainly would not be with anyone in the Organization. What VIII did was out of line. Completely and totally." Zexion smirked slightly as they paused by Roxas' class room. "Do not count on him doing it again. Good day." Roxas opened his mouth to protest, but Zexion waved casually and walked by Namine. Namine frowned at him before joining Roxas.

"What did Zexion say?" She asked, stopping in front of Roxas. Her frown deepened when she noticed Roxas' glum face and dark blue eyes.

"It was... nothing important." Roxas muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets and slumping into his class room. Namine sighed and shook her head. Reaching into her side bag, Namine pulled out her latest drawing---one she thought was adorable. In the picture was Roxas and Axel, Roxas looking up at Axel as Axel leaned down, Axel grinning and Roxas looking up with a slightly defiant expression, Axel's arm on the wall beside them.

Both of them have the same expression in their eyes.

Namine sighed and held the drawing close to her chest. She closed her eyes tightly. 'Please... make it through this ok, both of you.'

* * *

Sora watched as his brother tripped down the stairs the next morning.

"You aren't much of a morning person, are you?" He asked, laughing. Roxas glared at him.

"Shut up." He placed his head in his hands and groaned lightly. "My head hurts."

"Didja sleep well, Roxas?" Sora asked. Roxas glared at him.

"Just get to school. You gotta be there before---" DING-DONG!

"I got it!" Sora cried. He ran to the door and pulled it open before Roxas could even stand up properly. He heard talking and then footsteps.

"Hey, Roxy." He threw his head back and locked his blue eyes with vibrant green ones. Axel grinned down at him. "You feeling all right, Roxy?"

"I'm fine!" He snapped, pulling himself up. "I don't need you worrying about me!"

"Aw, Roxy, that's no fair." Axel said, laughingly throwing his arm around Roxas.

"Sora? Roxas? Who was---" Axel looked up and blinked at the sudden glare aimed at him. "Lea."

"Axel, actually." He corrected. "Hey, Cloud."

"Get your arms offa my brother, you asshole." Roxas blinked in shock at Cloud. Cloud ignored him and clutched his head, still glaring at him. Axel obeyed immediately, putting his hands up in a surrender gesture.

"Hey, man, I got nothin' against you or your brothers." Axel said. "You have beef with Reno sometimes, that's fine. Leave me outta it."

"Cloud, back off." Roxas snapped angrily. Cloud's blue eyes locked on Roxas' and Roxas scowled at his older brother. "Why don't you call Leon and thank him for dragging you home---again, for the thirtieth time." Roxas pulled Axel's arm. "Let's get outta here already, Axel." Bewildered, Axel shrugged.

"All right, Roxy."


	7. Chapter 7

Marluxia sat down by the wall, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. Larxene leaned on the wall, next to him, just out of the earshot of Vexen and Lexaeus.

"Can we trust anyone else in the Organization?" Larxene asked, tugging on one of her bangs. Marluxia laughed quietly.

"Axel, maybe. Roxas, Demyx. I dunno about Zexion, maybe, but I don't really think so." He said, closing his eyes and tilting his head back to touch the wall behind him.

"At least we know we can trust each other." Larxene said, sliding down the wall to land next to Marluxia. "Right?" Marluxia tilted his head and sent a smile at Larxene.

"Of course." He said.

* * *

A month later, in October, Roxas noted that another one of the Organization members was missing---Number X, Luxord.

"Meeting will now come to order." Superior started, ignoring the fact that the Gambler of Fate was not there. This time, at least, Roxas knew it was because of his birthday and not some random thing. He sighed as Xenmas talked, thinking about the other Organization members. All of their birthdays came before his, Axel told him. And you always knew who's birthday was when, because they'd be excused from meetings. Roxas had learned all of the Organization member's birthdays, and they were surprisingly consistent. It made him snicker---or it would've, but he was the youngest, Axel told him. The last Organization member, the one before him, was Larxene, and her birthday was December 12th.

It made Axel snicker when Roxas mentioned casually after that that his birthday was December 13th.

"That'll be the first time that we've ever had two members gone at once." Axel had responded when Roxas questioned him. With a laugh, Roxas pretended to be annoyed.

* * *

It was October 7th when things started to get strange. It started with the meeting for Luxord's birthday (Roxas wondered what the blonde gambler did---what any of them did when they were excused from meetings. The only friends he knew they had was the Organization). It was something Roxas hadn't noticed at the time. Rather, it was something he insisted didn't exist.

It started with several looks, a few glances, between the two.

Then they were late to meetings.

Finally, Roxas couldn't handle it anymore..

"What's going on?" He snapped, cornering them before class one day.

"Roxas..." Marluxia said smoothly, draping an arm around him and looking at Larxene over the top of his head briefly before returning his attention to Roxas. "Roxas, Roxas, Roxas. Don't worry about it."

"But---"

"Can it, shrimp." Larxene snapped. Roxas turned to her, eyes wide. "It's none of your business, so shut the fuck up and back off. Understand?"

"Why on earth are we all picking on Roxas?" Axel drawled suddenly, pulling Marluxia's arm off of Roxas. "Marly, Lar, really. There's no need to pick on him."

"Even though he's the youngest?" Axel shrugged.

"So what? You're pretty young too, Arlene." Larxene's fists clenched and she glared at Axel.

"You call me Arlene one more time...." She snarled. Axel leaned forward casually, whispering something in Larxene's ear.

She paled considerably.

Roxas looked from Axel to Larxene, wondering what the red-headed pyro told her to make her react like that. Larxene stayed frozen, her eyes locked on Axel's.

"You wouldn't." Came out in a strangled hiss. Axel shrugged.

"I wouldn't. I would." He smirked at her slightly. "But you never know, Lar." He turned abruptly. "We're gonna be late for class. Let's go." Walking forward, Roxas ran to keep up with Axel.

"What did you say to her?" Roxas wondered, looking at Axel. Axel had his eyes half-open, and Roxas could read the worry in Axel's eyes and face. His arms were crossed, and Roxas touched one gently. "Axel?"

"I hate saying that to her." He mumbled, running a hand through his gravity-defying hair before recrossing his arms. "But she'll live, right? She knows I wouldn't, no matter what."

* * *

"What did he say?" Marluxia asked Larxene. She shook her head.

"He said, he knows." She looked at him, worried. "And if we don't hurry, we may not be able to do it. Superior's orders, you know."

* * *

Roxas found it strange nothing else happened, but by the time of December, Larxene was telling him to get ready to abandon the meetings.

"What do you guys do?" He asked her. "When you don't have to go to meetings?" Larxene shrugged.

"Depends on the person." She said simply. "Zexion, for example, just hangs out in the library. Marluxia hangs out in the school's garden, Demyx hangs out in the pool, Axel on the roof---"

"Why the roof?" Roxas wondered. Larxene snorted.

"The fire alarms don't go off if he's on the roof with his lighter." Roxas shook his head.

"What do you do?" Larxene leaned into Roxas' face, narrowing her eyes slightly and smiling evilly.

"Do you really wanna know, Roxas?" She whispered in a sing-song voice. Roxas' eyes widened and he shook his head frantically. She laughed, pulling away. "I hang out in the gym with a basketball, Roxas. Don't act like I castrate guys in the back of the school."

For some reason, Roxas had a hard time believing her.

* * *

In the end, he decided to hang out with Namine. The blonde girl smiled at Roxas and waved.

"How are you?" She asked, sitting herself down next to him. Roxas grinned.

"Good. Missing my friends, but the Organization's pretty cool, too." Namine blew a piece of hair out of her face.

"I take it your birthday's coming up?" She said. "I know Larxene's is."

"Yea." A sudden question came to Roxas. "Hey, Namine?" She looked at him, curiosity in her eyes. "When did the Organization form?"

"Probably when Xenmas and Xigbar were in sixth grade." She frowned thoughtfully. "Yea, because Vexen was thirteen when he joined, which was shortly after it was formed."

"How old is Xenmas?" Namine grinned.

"Nineteen. Since he was born so early in the school year, he was put in later." Roxas nodded slowly. "Actually, with the exception of Zexion, all of them were put in school late."

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked her. Namine counted off on her fingers.

"Xenmas, Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen, and Lexaeus are nineteen." She said. "Zexion and Saix are seventeen, Axel, Demyx, and Luxord are sixteen, Marluxia and Larxene are fourteen." Blinking, Namine recounted in her head before nodding brightly. "Yea, that's all of them."

"Wow." Roxas said. Then he smirked. "And I'm going to be fourteen." Namine giggled.

"You're the youngest of them all." She said. Roxas laughed.

* * *

That night, he had the dream again.

_"You're being an idiot, Zexion!"_

_"Come on, let's just get outta here already._"

"_Don't worry, sometimes people like him aren't worth it._"

"_I thought he would be..._"

"_We'll get him later, ok?_"

This time, however, there were people in it...shapes...Roxas tried to focus on them. He recognized the place---the high school's cafeteria, the whiteness of it practically blinding him...he could see five people standing in a group, by the end of a table...eight were sitting...no, seven were sitting, one was standing by someone else...

_"I'm sorry..."_

Roxas sat up with a gasp.

"What's wrong with me?" He muttered, grabbing his head in his hands.


End file.
